


The Black Widow

by UnderTheSkyline



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-26 18:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10792248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderTheSkyline/pseuds/UnderTheSkyline
Summary: Nesta made a decision that might help the Night Court to win the war against the King of Hybern.





	The Black Widow

**Author's Note:**

> A Court of Wings and Ruin will be released tomorrow, so I decided to post this little thing that has been on my mind for quite a while.
> 
> English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance if there are any mistakes or if any of the situations depicted in the story is not clear enough. Please let me know so I can correct them and improve.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story, and reviews are more than welcome :)

[Picset!](http://stripesandpolkadot.tumblr.com/post/160211397993/the-black-widow-picset)  


 

Nesta pulled back the curtains and took a deep breath.  
  
The view from her room in the townhouse was remarkable. She tried to memorize every single detail of the city below; the pale cobblestones street that lead to the Palace of Thread and Jewels, the green copper roof of the townhouses that flanked each side of the street, the red-stone mountains that contrasted with the sapphire waters of the Sidra, the way the sunlight reflected on top of Velaris’ most notable theater, the chirp of birds, and the laughter of children as they played in a nearby garden.  
  
Nesta needed to memorize it all because she was not sure when she would be able to see Velaris again. Or worse, if she would ever see it again at all.  
  
She still had some spare time before the meeting, she walked to the mirror on the opposite side of the room to comb her hair and finish fixing her dress. She had never owned any dresses in this color when she was a human, but she fell in love with the dress the moment she saw it. No other dress would have been more fitting for the occasion.  
  
She heard a knock on the door as she was applying her lipstick. She sighed, she knew that it was him before he even said a word. The smell of sea and citrus so distinctive.  
  
Rhys' muffled voice came from the other side of the door. “May I speak with you?”  
  
As soon as she opened the door, he wasted no time. Time was a luxury that not even immortals had these days. He closed the door behind him, a stern expression on his face.  
  
He walked to the center of the room, his hands in his pockets. “Nesta.”  
  
Nesta remained standing next to the door, her face as impassive as ever. “High Lord.”  
  
He turned around and looked straight into her eyes. “Please don’t…” His voice sounded tired. Nesta knew that Feyre’s absence was taking its toll on the most powerful High Lord in Prythian’s history. “Why, Nesta?” Along with the tiredness of his voice, there was a hint of sorrow. “Why?”  
  
She walked to stand in front of him, an eyebrow lifted and arms crossed across her chest. “Does it _really_ bother you that much that I call you High Lord? I was trying to be respectful. I know that you enjoy being called prick, but I don’t feel it is appropriate coming from me.”  
  
Rhys closed his eyes and managed to let out a noise that sounded like half a laugh, but Nesta couldn’t help but notice how it was tinged with pain. As soon as he opened his eyes again, she saw how the spark of those violet eyes was almost faded, she saw how hearing the endearing banter hurt too much, as it only reminded him of the person that used to call him that, the person that was too far away, so far away that the few months of her absence felt eternal compared to the centuries that he had lived before her sister entered his life.  
  
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” The stern expression back on his face again.  
  
Nesta uncrossed her arms and dismissed his apprehension as if they were having a meaningless conversation. “It had to be done, Rhysand.”  
  
“But, are you aware of the danger that you are putting yourself into? Do you know what kind of monster he is? I know that Mor has told you…”  
  
Nesta interrupted him. “I am aware that Eris has done awful things in the past. I can only hope that the reports that informed me that Eris temper has become much more subdued after Lord Beron died are accurate.”  
  
He ran his hands through his hair. “This cannot be happening. Not again. I thought I would never have to see someone from my family enter that place again…”  
  
“Rhysand.”  
  
“I cannot just stand by and…”  
  
“Rhysand.”  
  
“What about Cassian? Have you thought about what will happen to him once you are gone? He will be devastated! You are going to break his heart!”  
  
“RHYS!”  
  
Rhysand looked at her as if it was the first time he was seeing her. She had never called him Rhys before.  
  
Nesta took a deep breath before answering. “There is no mating bond tying him and me together and, while I’m sure that he will miss me _enormously_ , I’m certain that he will be able to cope without me while I'm gone.” The resolution of her expression did not entirely match her voice, she knew that her voice was tinged with a despair, despair because she was certain that Cassian wouldn't take her absence easily, especially because they were uncertain about when she would be able to return to the Night Court. “Cassian… knows. He is the one person that has been aware of my plans all along. He was with me when I calculated the numbers. We discussed all the possible scenarios and possible outcomes. There’s no other way to do this. If we want to win this war, it has to be done.”  
  
“But…”  
  
“We need to make our move. We need to take advantage of the fact that Eris is not looking for an alliance with the Spring Court. He seems to be unwilling to forgive Tamlin for murdering one of his brothers and he most certainly won’t forgive Tamlin for providing Lucien a place to live after he left the Autumn Court.”  
  
Nesta could see that Rhysand was trying to come up with some other argument to persuade her to change her mind.  
  
“We should consider ourselves lucky that Eris is… infatuated with me.” She snorted and shook her head. “With the Autumn Court’s army, we have a chance to defeat the King of Hybern. We cannot do this alone, Rhys.”  
  
Rhysand ran his hands through his hair. “Your sister... She is going to kill me when she finds out… I cannot let you do this!”  
  
”You might be the most powerful High Lord, but don’t even think for a second that you get to tell me what I can or cannot do! How dare you?” Nesta could feel her anger rising up, she paused for a second to regain her calm. “If there is someone that should understand why I’m doing what I’m doing, that should be you. After everything you did to keep your people safe, all the sacrifices, all the suffering, you above all people should understand why I’m marrying him!”  
  
“What would happen if he kills you? Have you thought about that? Then this would have been for nothing.”  
  
“Someone once told me that he could think of no better way to end his existence than to defend those who need it most.” She turned around and walked to the rosewood writing desk next to one of the windows, slightly bending her body to smell the red flowers that Elain had brought earlier that day. “I wouldn’t worry that much about my well-being if I were you. Perhaps I’m lucky and Eris gets killed in battle.” She couldn't help but smirk. “And… If he hurts me…”  
  
Nesta saw how Rhys couldn’t tear his gaze away from her hands, the way her fingers picked up a flower from the vase, how she barely touched it with her lips, the petals’ colors changing from red to burgundy and then to black, until the flowers were nothing but a mere spectre of what they used to be.  
  
“… Accidents could happen. I have barely been trained in these few months since I have been made. I might lose control of my powers.”  
  
She placed the decayed flower on the desk before turning around to look into Rhys' eyes. There was something in her expression that Rhysand had not seen before, a determination bigger than the one she had when she had commanded him to train her. ****  
  
Nesta took a deep breath. “Burned leaves and cinnamon. It seems that my soon-to-be husband has arrived.”  
  
When Nesta turned around to face Rhysand again, she noticed a faint smile on his lips.  
  
He offered his arm, his eyes shinier than she had ever seen them since her immortal existence started. “I shall lead you to him then.”  
  
Nesta placed her hand in the crook of his arm, and both of them left the room. Rhys couldn’t help but smile thinking how the High Lord of the Autumn Court was unsuspectingly allowing a black widow to enter his own home.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [Tumblr](http://stripesandpolkadot.tumblr.com/). Come by and say hi! :)


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